Housing director accused of sexual, verbal harassment

Published: Monday, August 6, 2012 at 5:57 p.m.

Last Modified: Monday, August 6, 2012 at 5:57 p.m.

Terrebonne Parish's public housing director will have to undergo training on appropriate workplace behavior in coming months after a worker alleged he harassed her sexually and verbally.

The action against Wayne Thibodeaux came in a 4-1 vote Thursday by the Housing Authority Board of Commissioners.

Thibodeaux was accused of inappropriate behavior by an employee who took the complaint to her supervisor, Troy Johnson, manager of the Senator Circle housing complex in Houma. Johnson then took the allegation to the board, which launched an investigation July 26.

"I respect the board's decision," Thibodeaux said after Thursday's decision. "That's all I have to say."

The board cast the vote in public after discussing the issue behind closed doors for just over an hour. Full details of the allegations were not disclosed. Board Attorney Jimmy Dagate cited state laws protecting Thibodeaux's privacy.

But after the board returned to public session, member Chester Dillard revealed that allegations against Thibodeaux include sexual harassment.

Voting in favor of the sanctions against Thibodeaux were Dillard and fellow board members Allan Luke, Pat Cazes and Melissa Ardoin. Board member Joe Thompson was the only vote against the decision; he refused to comment.

The woman leveling the complaint, who spoke under the condition of anonymity for fear of retaliation by Thibodeaux, reported to Johnson that the director sexually harassed her verbally and physically.

"There were many employees who had significant issues, and those issues violated policy, but for fear of retribution, those employees were reluctant to come forward. Therefore, me being in a managerial position, they came to me and I brought those issues to the board," Johnson said. "But I'm not afraid. Mr. Thibodeaux is very callous, very cold, very unethical, very unfair. That's who he is, and that's who he will be. It's difficult for me to see that there will be a change in Mr. Thibodeaux."

Johnson maintains that sexual harassment is not the only issue and that other matters were not thoroughly addressed.

"Whether it's a courtroom judge or a board of commissioners, I have nothing but the utmost respect, but I do disagree," Johnson said of the board's action. "A policy was violated, and if we are not held accountable, as far as policy, then why do we even have policy?

"You have to hold a director, chairman or a CEO to a standard. And when they're able to get away with things like this, I'm very disappointed. Sexual harassment is taken very seriously in the workplace, and women's rights are taken seriously in the workplace. So for that not to be looked at thoroughly and to compromise with just training, is an insult."

Johnson said he believes it will take another inappropriate act for the board to see a pattern of misconduct.

Records from Bruno & Tervalon, a New Orleans-based certified public accounting firm, show that Thibodeaux was involved in a 1995-1996 investigation into misuse of Slidell Housing Authority money. Thibodeaux was the director of the agency during the investigation. Thibodeaux and two other employees were interviewed about the lack of authorization on several transactions, totaling $11,412.

According to the firm's report, no action was taken against Thibodeaux because of a lack of proof of where the money went.

"This boggles my mind," Johnson said. "It won't be long before something else pops up, and I think the board will recognize then that maybe they should have done something more serious. This was not even a slap on the wrist but a slap in the face to the employees."

<p>Terrebonne Parish's public housing director will have to undergo training on appropriate workplace behavior in coming months after a worker alleged he harassed her sexually and verbally.</p><p>The action against Wayne Thibodeaux came in a 4-1 vote Thursday by the Housing Authority Board of Commissioners.</p><p>Thibodeaux was accused of inappropriate behavior by an employee who took the complaint to her supervisor, Troy Johnson, manager of the Senator Circle housing complex in Houma. Johnson then took the allegation to the board, which launched an investigation July 26.</p><p>"I respect the board's decision," Thibodeaux said after Thursday's decision. "That's all I have to say."</p><p>The board cast the vote in public after discussing the issue behind closed doors for just over an hour. Full details of the allegations were not disclosed. Board Attorney Jimmy Dagate cited state laws protecting Thibodeaux's privacy.</p><p>But after the board returned to public session, member Chester Dillard revealed that allegations against Thibodeaux include sexual harassment.</p><p>Voting in favor of the sanctions against Thibodeaux were Dillard and fellow board members Allan Luke, Pat Cazes and Melissa Ardoin. Board member Joe Thompson was the only vote against the decision; he refused to comment. </p><p>The woman leveling the complaint, who spoke under the condition of anonymity for fear of retaliation by Thibodeaux, reported to Johnson that the director sexually harassed her verbally and physically.</p><p>"There were many employees who had significant issues, and those issues violated policy, but for fear of retribution, those employees were reluctant to come forward. Therefore, me being in a managerial position, they came to me and I brought those issues to the board," Johnson said. "But I'm not afraid. Mr. Thibodeaux is very callous, very cold, very unethical, very unfair. That's who he is, and that's who he will be. It's difficult for me to see that there will be a change in Mr. Thibodeaux." </p><p>Johnson maintains that sexual harassment is not the only issue and that other matters were not thoroughly addressed.</p><p>"Whether it's a courtroom judge or a board of commissioners, I have nothing but the utmost respect, but I do disagree," Johnson said of the board's action. "A policy was violated, and if we are not held accountable, as far as policy, then why do we even have policy?</p><p>"You have to hold a director, chairman or a CEO to a standard. And when they're able to get away with things like this, I'm very disappointed. Sexual harassment is taken very seriously in the workplace, and women's rights are taken seriously in the workplace. So for that not to be looked at thoroughly and to compromise with just training, is an insult." </p><p>Johnson said he believes it will take another inappropriate act for the board to see a pattern of misconduct. </p><p>Records from Bruno & Tervalon, a New Orleans-based certified public accounting firm, show that Thibodeaux was involved in a 1995-1996 investigation into misuse of Slidell Housing Authority money. Thibodeaux was the director of the agency during the investigation. Thibodeaux and two other employees were interviewed about the lack of authorization on several transactions, totaling $11,412.</p><p>According to the firm's report, no action was taken against Thibodeaux because of a lack of proof of where the money went.</p><p>"This boggles my mind," Johnson said. "It won't be long before something else pops up, and I think the board will recognize then that maybe they should have done something more serious. This was not even a slap on the wrist but a slap in the face to the employees."</p>